Calcutta Park Street Cemetery Painting

MICHEL TESTARD A wandering painter of the world Michel Testard’s work is a visual journey through a life of extensive travel, deep cultural engagement, and an artistic family heritage. Born in Tokyo to a lineage of French artists, Testard’s early years between Japan, Vietnam, and France were marked by a fascination with the world, captured in childhood sketches of ships, animals, and daily life. This eclectic upbringing laid the foundation for a rich artistic practice, which he completed by the Art School of ‘les Ateliers de la Ville de Paris’. Testard’s landscapes reflect his travels across India, Iceland, Antarctica, and beyond. His Indian scenes, filled with vibrant colors and mythical elements, blend reality and fantasy, drawing influence from Gauguin and Vallotton. His Icelandic landscapes, by contrast, use a restrained palette to evoke the sublime vastness of the Nordic wilderness, recalling the Romantic tradition of Caspar Friedrich. Goa holds a special place in Testard’s work as a metaphor bridge between Europe and India. His Goa series captures the fusion of Portuguese and Indian aesthetics, creating a cultural tapestry that reflects Testard’s deep engagement with the region. Goa becomes a microcosm of his broader artistic project—a place where East meets West, history meets fantasy, and place merges with personal reflection. The people of India are central to Testard’s art. His portraits of villagers, such as "Orissa, brahmin after a puja," reveal an empathetic approach, capturing a meditative scene. ‘Bikaner street at dusk’ by contrast shows a Hopper like view of a city bazar at night. “Vaishnavi Sadhu” series portrays ascetic figures with intense, dark backgrounds, showing Testard’s nuanced questioning of India’s spiritual paths. Music, especially Indian classical music, is another thematic layer. Inspired by Satyajit Ray’s Jalsaghar (The Music Room), Testard created a series dedicated to the sitar and the music of India. His cubist-inspired Sitarist series captures the meditative intensity of Indian ragas, drawing on Testard’s personal experience as a sitar player. Testard’s work also delves into humor and fantasy. His depiction of maharajas, nawabs or gurus, yogis blend imagination with fantasy, inviting viewers to contemplate India’s incredible social heritage on a light and colorful tone.